Who is ready to climb the hill? The effect of legislative activity on promotion to higher offices in Chile

Previous research suggests that bill initiation is a mechanism used by legislators to foster personal votes. This article puts forward a theory whereby legislative activity is understood as a form of party service. Bill initiation records are used by parties to inform their decisions on who is ready to be promoted. The theory is evaluated using an original data-set from the Chilean Chamber of Deputies. Our empirical findings make a strong case for the hypothesis according to which parties reward those deputies who have shown to be effective legislators.     

The hunt for an elusive crime – an analysis of Swedish measures to combat sex trafficking

Sex trafficking has been described as an enormous, serious and growing problem that must be combatted, but also as a moral panic based on a very small number of cases. This article explores the measures that have been proposed to combat sex trafficking by politicians, the national police and the National Council for Crime Prevention in Sweden between 2007 and 2017. The analysis shows that sex trafficking is partly used by the actors to justify their own work. The measures that all three actors describe as central are crime victim support, co-operation, information, education and expanded legislation. The underlying problems associated with sex trafficking, according to the three actors, appear to be prostitution, drug use and foreign women crossing Swedish borders. Much of the responsibility for the provision of information and education is delegated from government agencies to a wide range of actors. This desire for comprehensive societal engagement stands in stark contrast to the small number of sex trafficking cases in Sweden. The measures to combat sex trafficking are thus largely characterized by the hunt for an elusive crime.     

SILENT CHANGES: TRANSSEXUALS’ RIGHT TO MARRY IN CHINA’S MAINLAND AND HONG KONG

In comparison to the arduous process of rights advocacy in Hong Kong, transsexuals in China’s mainland achieved their right to marry via some “silent changes”: there was no legal activism from transsexual communities, no debates or hearings in the legislature, and no landmark judgments made by the judiciary. From a perspective of comparative law, this article attempts to analyze the legal changes regarding transsexuals’ right to marry in China’s mainland in light of the struggles in Hong Kong. It endeavors to discuss to what extent the seemingly “smooth” and “unintended” way of opening up marriage to transsexuals in China’s mainland could be beneficial to trans rights and equality in general.     

In Search of the Holy Grail in Public Service: A Study on the Mediating Effect of Public Service Motivation on Organizational Politics and Outcomes

ABSTRACT

There appears to be a research gap in terms of examining whether PSM will hold fast even in the midst of a politically charged work environment. This article investigates how highly motivated government employees would react to the potentially adverse effects of political perception (POP) on organizational commitment, job satisfaction and workplace stress. The findings indicated that PSM exists among the respondent municipal social workers in the Philippines and that this motivation directly translates to positive outcomes. However, PSM did not have the expected mediating effect which is a departure from the commonly held view about its buffering power and mitigating role.     

中意刑事侦查制度比较研究

刑事侦查制度是指一国法律规定的有关刑事侦查活动的组织、程序、人事等方面规则体系的总和。中意两国刑事侦查制度在侦查主体、侦查程序、侦查措施与手段以及采证规则等方面既有共同点也有差异点,这主要是由两国政治制度、法律制度、司法传统等多方面因素影响和制约的结果。加强中意两国刑事侦查制度的比较研究,分析各自的优点缺点,对我国刑事侦查制度的改革和完善具有重要意义。     

论罚款限额的设定方式

罚款是一种重要的行政处罚种类。我国立法上对罚款限额的设定长期、普遍采用绝对数数额的方式。这种方式严重不利于罚款目的的正确实现。应当考虑采用动态的、相对数的罚款限额设定方式,由处罚主体在处罚实施时结合国家公布的有关指标,即时计算出罚款限额,在此基础上行使自由裁量权。     

劳动密集型产业演进的国际比较对中国的启示

我国目前工业化尚处于初期向中期过渡的阶段,劳动密集型产业在较长时期内将占据主导地位,如果人为超越这一阶段,将对经济发展产生不利影响,我国在选择产业发展道路时,必须遵循产业演进的规律,充分发挥本国的比较优势,推进劳动密集型产业升级和发展。     

论民法作为政治文明的法制与文化基础

在西方历史中,民法精神提供了推动政治文明进步的直接动力。民法作为政治文明法制与文化基础之根源在于, 政治文明以市民社会为基础,民法为市民社会基本法,民法文化为市民社会之文化。民法培育了政治文明系统的 基本要素,提供了促进政治文明的社会动力,并创造其运行的外围环境。中国的政治文明建设,应以民事立法的 发达为基础,并依赖于民法成为最广泛的社会文化,中国民法典则当然地承担这一政治使命。     

产品责任的惩罚性损害赔偿制度研究

我国立法中对于产品责任欠缺惩罚性损害赔偿的规定,消费者合法权益得不到有效的维护。为此,从惩罚性损害赔偿的产生与演变入手,分析了对于产品责任适用惩罚性损害赔偿的法理基础:效益与正义,并对惩罚性损害赔偿的数额确定进行了经济分析,比较研究了各国及地区的相关规定,提出应在我国的产品责任立法中引进这一制度的建议。     

芳林公园的进一步开放与新加坡民主政治发展趋势

2008年8月初,李显龙在国庆群众大会上表示,新加坡政府有意开放政治言论空间,以让新加坡人及年轻网民有更大的参与感,宣布开放芳林公园为自由进行户外示威的场所,以让国人多一个表达意见的空间.芳林公园的进一步开放对新加坡的民主进程应该是一种良好的发展.任何有政治意识的新加坡人可以针对国家和民生的各种问题提出建设性意见和看法,这样可以鼓励更多的新加坡人出来参与政治.当然,此次开放也是有限度的,在芳林公园演说角以外的地方举行示威活动仍然不被允许.新加坡政府宣布设立户外示威场所的做法,多少体现出新加坡回应来自国内外挑战的主动适应性.人民行动党政府的这一举措已经达到了活跃民主政治、进一步改善新加坡开放与国际大都会的形象、加强民意的疏通与反馈、展现政府的自信与亲民形象的目的.